Warburton has made no fewer than nine signings this summer in a recruitment drive which means that there will inevitably be some unhappy players due to the increased competition at Rangers.

Some of these frustrated players could be midfielders, with the Gers boss signing Joey Barton, Josh Windass and Niko Kranjcar - stellar names and ones who will deprive some other names of a shirt at times this season.

The former Brentford manager took the Tottenham Hotspur youngster on loan last season, with the 20-year-old initially struggling to break into the Rangers first team.

Ball had to wait until October before becoming a prominent member of Warburton's side, and the 53-year-old has told his current players that they will need to replicate that kind of hunger if they are to succeed at Rangers this season.

"If you are not in the first XI on a particular day then get on with it," he told The Scottish Sun. "What are you doing wrong? Train harder, work harder and your time will come.

"Dom Ball was last season so frustrated at not playing, but we had played 11 and won 11. But when his chance came, he was ready. You saw what he did. Dom is a great example."

Ball is back at Tottenham but it remains to be seen if he is ready to compete for a spot in Mauricio Pochettino's senior squad this season.

Rangers kick off their new Premiership season by hosting Hamilton at Ibrox on August 6.

Shane Callaghan

Shane is a Dublin-based sports writer who swapped the football pitch for the press box upon learning that he was better with a pen than with a round bit of leather. Prior to joining HITC, Shane enjoyed spells with Sports Mole and Goal.com among others, while he was also club reporter for Irish football club Drogheda United.